West Ham United Women Football Club is an
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
women's football club affiliated with
West Ham United
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club that plays its home matches in Stratford, East London. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The club plays at the London Stadium, hav ...
. They were formed in 1991 and play home games at
Dagenham & Redbridge
Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club is a professional association football club based in Dagenham, Greater London, England. The team competes in the National League, the fifth tier of the English football league system. Often known simply as Dag ...
's
Chigwell Construction Stadium on Victoria Road.
History
Whilst the 1970s saw a short lived incarnation of West Ham United Ladies, it was early in 1991 when Roger Morgan, the Football in the Community officer at
West Ham United
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club that plays its home matches in Stratford, East London. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The club plays at the London Stadium, hav ...
, mooted the idea of forming the present ladies section of the club. Following a number of initial coaching sessions to bring in local players and the capture of John Greenacre, who had then recently relinquished his managerial posts at Romford Ladies, to help organise the club, the first friendly match was set for 29 March 1992 resulting in a defeat to
Barnet Ladies. Undeterred, two teams were entered into the Greater London Regional Women's Football League for the following season; one in Division 3 and the other in Division 4 and the Hammers opened their first competitive season with a 5–1 victory against Hackney “B” on 27 September 1992 going on to finish the campaign in a respectable fourth place although the second team found life harder and were relegated to the 5th Division. A third-place finish the following season with was sufficient to earn promotion to Division Two and the next season there was a promotion into Division One following another third-place finish.
1995–96 saw a season of consolidation after the two consecutive promotions in two years with a mid table placing, but the season saw the club enter the
FA Women's Cup
The Women's FA Challenge Cup Competition is the top annual cup tournament for women's clubs in English football. Founded in 1970, it has been named the WFA Cup, FA Women's Cup and now Women's FA Cup (Vitality Women's FA Cup for sponsorship reas ...
for the first time, having been encouraged by a goalless draw with
Arsenal Ladies
Arsenal Women Football Club, commonly referred to as Arsenal, is an English professional women's football club based in Islington, London, England. The club plays in the Women's Super League, the top tier of English women's football.
Arse ...
the previous year in the
London FA Women's Cup. The club also embarked on its first overseas tour taking in trips to Germany and Holland. International recognition was furthered as
Claire Lacey, the Hammers goalkeeper, was awarded an England cap in an away fixture against Portugal to become the club's first international representative.
Two more season of consolidation as a mid table Division One side in the Greater London League followed as the club went through a difficult period off the pitch, with personnel changes in the backroom staff and ground problems seeing Brampton Manor School,
Barking
Barking may refer to:
Places
* Barking, London, a town in East London, England
** London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, a local government district covering the town of Barking
** Municipal Borough of Barking, a historical local government dist ...
an
Little Heathall used as home grounds.
The 1998–99 season saw the Hammers fortunes take an upturn reaching their first cup final in the Russell Cup and more importantly gaining the runners up spot in the league and with it promotion into the Greater London League Premier Division. The momentum continued as the Hammers immediately made an impact in the Premier Division coming second behind the semi professional set up at Fulham, before clinching the title the year after, coupled with a run to the 4th round of the FA Women's Cup.
2000–01 saw the introduction of the now highly successful junior section playing in the Essex County Girls League laying the foundations for another period of growth for the club as a second successful Greater London League Premier League campaign this time saw the Hammers winning the promotion play off and allowed the club to start the 2002–03 season in the South East Combination League, where a fourth-place finish showed the Hammers ability to hold their own at this level. The promise of being able to step up further emerged when the runners up spot was claimed the year after. Hopes were high the club could go one further for the 2004–05 campaign and in a nail-biting finish the Hammers emerged victorious from a winner takes all final league game with Northampton to win the title, only just missing out on the double following a league cup final defeat to the same opponents.
Just 13 seasons after starting out West Ham United Ladies had now reached the
FA Women's Premier League
The FA Women's National League, formerly WFA National League and FA Women's Premier League (WPL), is a group of six football divisions run by the English Football Association. Founded in 1991 by the Women's Football Association, the League includ ...
and achieved a sixth-place finish in their opening season at this level despite a shaky start as they got accustomed to the higher standard. There were no such problems for the reserve team though, who were only just pipped to the runners up spot in the Premier League (Reserves) Division Two South. The following season was a disappointment as the team started to slide and the club ended up in a situation where they would be relegated if the teams below were to win their games in hand although by the end of the season results had gone in the Hammers favour. The Reserve team finished rock bottom in their division but amongst the junior sections the club continued to flourish and from the junior ranks both management staff and playing personnel were elevated to get the club back on track.
2007–08 saw Tony Marshall take over as first team manager helped by Alex Bonner as coach. The club switched to play home games at
Harlow Town
Harlow Town Football Club is an English association football, football club based in Harlow, Essex. The club is a former member of the and plays at The Harlow Arena.
The club is best known for its exploits in the 1979–80 FA Cup, in which it ...
and with a massive rebuilding job to be done the Hammers turned to youth with a side featuring many previous junior players from the club, who were more than able to hold their own with a sixth-place finish.
The next season saw continued improvements: a new base at
Thurrock
Thurrock () is a unitary authority area with borough status and unparished area in the ceremonial county of Essex, England. It is part of the London commuter belt and an area of regeneration within the Thames Gateway redevelopment zone. The l ...
, a highest-ever third-place finish in the league, and the first team lifting their first major trophy after winning the
Essex FA County Cup. The success spanned across the whole club with the reserve team ending the season top of the Premier (Reserves) Division Two South and amongst the junior side's haul of silverware were the
London FA Girls Youth Cup and the
Southern Region Under 16 FA Tesco Cup.
The Hammers were again amongst the leading sides in the 2009–10 campaign although too many draws saw them slip to fifth position with the reserve team consolidating following their promotion. Again there was success for the junior sides with the Under 16 team winning the UK Home International
Tesco Cup
The Tesco Cup was an association football competition for young footballers ran in the United Kingdom and sponsored by the retail group Tesco. There were three separate tournaments, a boys' Under 13, a girls' Under 14 and a girls' Under 16. Any te ...
at the
Reebok Stadium
The University of Bolton Stadium is the home ground of Bolton Wanderers F.C. in Horwich, Greater Manchester, England.
Opening in 1997, it was named the Reebok Stadium, after club sponsors Reebok. In 2014, Bolton Wanderers signed a naming righ ...
. 2010–11 saw the side lead the table for much of the winter but were pipped to the promotion spots in the run in eventually finishing in third place. However the
Essex FA County Cup was regained and best ever runs in the
FA Women's Cup
The Women's FA Challenge Cup Competition is the top annual cup tournament for women's clubs in English football. Founded in 1970, it has been named the WFA Cup, FA Women's Cup and now Women's FA Cup (Vitality Women's FA Cup for sponsorship reas ...
and
FA Women's Premier League Cup
The Women's National League Cup is an annual English football cup competition, founded in 1991 by the Women's Football Association (WFA). It was renamed the FA Women's Premier League Cup from 1994 to 2018.
The first edition of the Cup includ ...
saw both quarter finals reached.
2011–12 followed a similar pattern with good cup runs taking the club to the
Essex FA County Cup final and the
FA Women's Premier League Cup
The Women's National League Cup is an annual English football cup competition, founded in 1991 by the Women's Football Association (WFA). It was renamed the FA Women's Premier League Cup from 1994 to 2018.
The first edition of the Cup includ ...
quarter final. Again a third-place finish was achieved in the
FA Women's Premier League Southern Division
The FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division is a league in the third level in the women's football pyramid in England, along with the FA Women's National League North, Northern division. These two divisions are part of the FA Women ...
.
In Summer 2014, former professional footballer
Julian Dicks
Julian Andrew Dicks (born 8 August 1968) is an English football coach and former footballer who is assistant manager of EFL Championship side Watford.
Playing from 1985 until 2002, he was a defender, notably in the Premier League for West Ha ...
took charge of the team. His first competitive game was against Spurs Ladies. He helped to improve the team from their 10th-place finish the season and then to a sixth-placed finish in the 2014–15 season, along with a London FA Capital Women's Cup Final date against
Charlton Athletic Ladies.
In March 2015, John Hunt and his son Stephen Hunt were appointed Joint Chairman. On 5 June 2015, the club announced the creation of the West Ham Ladies Learning Academy. In July 2015, Marc Nurse became manager replacing ex-professional footballer Julian Dicks, who was promoted to work with the men's first team. Under Nurse, West Ham go on to finish 10th for the 2015–16 season. The season began in controversial circumstances when club captain Stacey Little led a small walkout of players and went to the press. Little had criticised the main club in the press the previous year over a lack of funding. The highlight of the season by far was the Ladies' first and last full league match at Upton Park in the club's last season there before moving to Stratford. The Ladies secured a record crowd of 1,741 as a penalty by captain Katie Bottom sealed a 1–0 win. The game became widely known for an off-the-ball incident when the video of a Spurs defender stamping on the head of West Ham striker Whitney Locke went viral.
During the summer of 2016, the team toured the Netherlands and played two top sides (MSV Duisburg and FC Twente) and were beaten in both matches. The Chairmen then took the decision to replace Nurse as manager and replace him with James Marrs who had recently led Brighton Ladies to promotion but was then sacked in controversial circumstances. Marrs appealed the circumstances of his sacking and in October 2016 an FA hearing held that the finding of the Sussex FA were such that "no reasonable body would have reached" and his record was cleared. The following day West Ham United nevertheless released Marrs as the Hunts were replaced as Chairmen and the Ladies absorbed into the main club. The events leading to the takeover of the Ladies were triggered by unfavourable press coverage of the main club's treatment of the Ladies team. For the rest of the 2016–17 season, the Ladies were managed by the West Ham Foundation coaches finishing 9th. The summer of 2017 saw West Ham Ladies undergo significant changes as the club looked to reach the top Women's Southern League within five years. Jack Sullivan, son of West Ham chairman
David Sullivan was named the team's managing director,
while Karen Ray took up the role of ladies' general manager.
[ Greg de Carnys also moved over from the Academy to look after the ladies' first team and academy.][ In the first half of the season, the results were poor with 12 losses from 17 games, and on 9 December 2017, it was announced that de Carnys had parted company with the club and that Ray would take charge of the team on an interim basis. Following this, the results improved, with 11 wins and only 1 loss from the next 14 games, including victories in both the Isthmian League Women's Cup and FA WPL Plate.
]
2018–present: FA WSL
On 28 May 2018, it was announced that West Ham Ladies had successfully gained entry into the WSL, the top league in England. West Ham Ladies changed their name to West Ham United women's team in July 2018. Former Women's Super League winner Matt Beard
Matthew Beard (born 9 January 1978) is an English professional football manager, who is currently head coach of FA Women's Super League club Liverpool FC Women. He has managed the side previously, as well as the women's teams of Bristol City ...
was appointed head coach of West Ham United women in June 2018. Beard secured the signings of experienced players including Gilly Flaherty
Gilly Louise Scarlett Flaherty (born 24 August 1991) is an English former footballer who last played for FA WSL club Liverpool. Flaherty is a former Arsenal Ladies player who began her career in Millwall Lionesses' youth teams. She usually play ...
, Claire Rafferty
Claire Lauren Rafferty (born 11 January 1989) is an English pundit and retired professional footballer. She made over 100 appearances as a left back or left winger for Chelsea in the FA WSL and also spent time at Millwall Lionesses and West H ...
, Jane Ross Jane Ross may refer to:
*Jane Ross (collector) (1810–1879), Irish folksong collector
*Jane Ross (philanthropist) (1920–1999), American businesswoman and philanthropist
*Jane Ross (footballer)
Jane Celestina Ross (born 18 September 1989) is ...
and Tessel Middag
Tessel Tina Middag (; born 23 December 1992) is a Dutch footballer who plays as a midfielder for Rangers in the Scottish Women's Premier League and the Dutch national team, representing the country at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. She previou ...
in preparation for the club's first season in the WSL. The club reached the FA Women's Cup Final in May 2019, ultimately losing 3–0 to Manchester City
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The tw ...
.
Beard and the club agreed to part ways by mutual consent on 19 November 2020. The board named goalkeeping coach Billy Stewart
William Larry Stewart II (March 24, 1937 – January 17, 1970) was an American rhythm and blues singer and pianist who was popular during the 1960s.
Biography
Stewart was 12 years old when he began singing with his younger brothers Johnny, James ...
and first-team coach Paul McHugh as interim head coaches while a search for a full-time manager is being undertaken.
In 2021 West Ham finished 8th in the Women's Super League
The Women's Super League (WSL), currently known as the Barclays Women's Super League (BWSL) for sponsorship reasons, is the highest league of women's football in England. Established in 2010, it is run by the Football Association and features t ...
table, leaving them safe of relegation.
Players
Current squad
Former players
Management
Executive
Technical
Honours
Senior
*Women's FA Cup runners up : 2018–19
* FA Women's Premier League Plate: 2017–18
*Isthmian League Women's Cup: 2017–18
*Essex FA County Cup Winners: 2008–09, 2010–11
*South East Combination League: 2004–05
*Greater London Regional Premier League: 2000–01, 2001–02
*Greater London Regional League Play Off Winners: 2001–02
Reserve
*FA Women's Premier (Reserve) League Division Two South: 2008–09
Youth
*London FA Junior cup Winners: 2010–11
*UK Home International Under 16 Tesco Cup: 2009–10
*English National Under 16 Tesco Cup: 2009–10
*Southern Region Under 16 Tesco Cup: 2008–09, 2009–10
*London FA Girls Under 16 Youth Cup: 2008–09
*Essex FA Under 10 County Futsal Cup: 2013–14
*Essex FA Under 16 County Cup: 2009–10, 2011–12
*Essex FA Under 14 County Cup: 2011–12
*Essex County Girls Football Under 16 League: 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12
*Essex County Girls Football Under 16 League Cup: 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12
*Essex County Girls Football Under 15 League: 2004–05, 2014–15
*Essex County Girls Football Under 15 League Cup: 2001–02, 2004–05
*Essex County Girls Football Under 14 League: 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12
*Essex County Girls Football Under 14 League Cup: 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12
*Essex County Girls Football Under 13 League: 2004–05
*Essex County Girls Football Under 13 League Cup: 2004–05, 2013–14
*Essex County Girls Football Under 12 League: 2005–06, 2006–07, 2010–11
*Essex County Girls Football Under 12 League Cup: 2009–10, 2011–12
*Essex County Girls Football Under 11 League South: 2005–06, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15
*Essex County Girls Football Under 11 League West: 2008–09
*Essex County Girls Football Under 11 League London & Central: 2011–12
*Essex County Girls Football Under 11 League Cup: 2008–09, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15
*Essex County Girls Football Under 10 League London: 2009–10, 2010–11
*Essex County Girls Football Under 10 League Cup: 2009–10, 2010–11
Seasons
Key
* P = Played
* W = Games won
* D = Games drawn
* L = Games lost
* F = Goals for
* A = Goals against
* Pts = Points
*WSL = Women's Super League
The Women's Super League (WSL), currently known as the Barclays Women's Super League (BWSL) for sponsorship reasons, is the highest league of women's football in England. Established in 2010, it is run by the Football Association and features t ...
*PL Na = FA Women's Premier League National Division
The FA Women's Premier League National Division (originally WFA National League Premier Division) was a football division in England. From 1991 until 2010, the National Division functioned as the top league in English women's football. Durin ...
*PL S = FA Women's Premier League Southern Division
The FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division is a league in the third level in the women's football pyramid in England, along with the FA Women's National League North, Northern division. These two divisions are part of the FA Women ...
*SE C = South East Combination Women's Football League
The South East Combination Women's Football League, also known simply as the South East Combination, was a women's football league in England from 1998 to 2014. Until the creation of the FA Women's Super League in 2011, they sat at the third level ...
* DR = Determining Round
* GS = Group Stage
* R1 = Round 1
* R2 = Round 2
* R3 = Round 3
* R4 = Round 4
* R5 = Round 5
* R6 = Round 6
* QF = Quarter-finals
* SF = Semi-finals
* RU = Runner Up
* CH = Champions
References
External links
*
{{FA Women's Super League
Women's football clubs in England
West Ham United F.C.
Association football clubs established in 1991
Women's football clubs in London
1991 establishments in England
FA Women's National League teams